Applied Theology
I own a coffee roaster and a small coffee roasting business. The secret to roasting great coffee is controlling the flame. The roaster uses real fire to heat a turning and churning stainless steel drum. As the drum turns and churns the coffee beans, the heat from the flames begins to warm the beans; then... Continue Reading →
I have been thinking through the section of my upcoming book on Christian persecution, and I am cataloging the different reasons which might explain why Christians in America are not suffering persecution. Here's the deal. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:12, do not be deceived, anyone who attempts to live a godly life in... Continue Reading →
I know Thanksgiving is over, and now it is Christmas. So, I am a little late saying, 'Thank-you." But I will make it up by offering you a present. The present probably won't be ready by Christmas, but you have my word that you will get it. I am in the process of publishing two... Continue Reading →
Another incident has erupted in Lahore, Pakistan, as Muslims have raided a Christian school complex and threatened Christians there with violence. The incident occurred after a local Muslim leader announced over the loudspeaker that Christians at the school were guilty of tearing pages from the Quran. Within minutes, a mob had attacked the school... Continue Reading →
The Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, operating in complete unity of will and purpose (though 3 distinct, divine persons)--is unique to Christian theology. The Trinity belongs to no other religion, and, thus, no other religion can explain the complexities of the universe. The universe is filled with individual, particular realities which must also... Continue Reading →
Southern Baptists have often been faulted for being on the wrong side of the issue of slavery and, later, on the issue of civil rights. While it cannot be denied that the Civil War came about as a result of Southerners demanding the right at the state level to determine the issue of slavery, it... Continue Reading →
When we began Project 13:3 as a ministry to the persecuted church, we ran the idea by some friends to get their input. Below is a video of a conversation I had with a very good friend of mine, Jeff Mooney. Dr. Mooney is a Professor of Old Testament at California Baptist University. The video... Continue Reading →
I hear a common refrain from those who favor abortion. It usually goes something like, "The Bible is silent on abortion," or "the Bible never condemns abortion." Is this true? Is it true that the Bible does not speak to abortion? On the surface it appears true that the bible does not condemn abortion. There... Continue Reading →
Who hasn't heard the horror stories of coat hangers, toilets, and back-alley butchers? One of the major arguments in favor of passing Roe in 1973 was the promise that women would no longer be butchered or mutilated in the process of ridding their bodies of unwanted babies. Now, after Roe, all abortions would supposedly be... Continue Reading →
You Can Fool Everybody But God And Your Conscience. Give A Full Days Work - NARA - 534350 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Martin Luther once famously said, “I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one's conscience is neither safe nor sound.” His life was on the line for his Christian beliefs, and he reasoned that... Continue Reading →
I am still sad from the November elections because of the damage Obamacare does to human life and to the fabric of our English: Hobby Lobby store in Stow, Ohio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)republic. I have listed below a letter from David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby concerning why he had to file a lawsuit... Continue Reading →
I remember the first time I was confronted with a serious pacifist. I was in seminary, and a certain professor—who is a well-known and well-respected scholar—challenged us in class and afterward to re-think the violence of our Christian past and adopt a peaceful future. His argument was compelling. I remember when challenged, he... Continue Reading →
I have been reading recently about the upcoming challenges to Obamacare in the Supreme Court. Liberty University has re-filed a case at the direction of the Supreme Court on the basis of Christian liberty. What exactly can the government compel a religious organization to do? That is the question before the court. Church-state relations typically... Continue Reading →
No Scripture is quoted more often than the proverbial, “judge not” passage of Matthew 7:1. Whatever its iteration, this statement appears welcome in every college classroom and any political conversation. It’s probably the only Bible verse with universal appeal. The sayings, “We mustn’t judge” or “I try not to judge others,” are threatening to overtake... Continue Reading →
If what has been said already about Israel is true, then a question arises, “What about the nation of Israel today?” In this final part (of a three-part series), we’ll look at what the Bible says about Israel as an ethnic/national people. The key text for this discussion is Romans 11. The question we are... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 